A Criminal or a Father
by ladyvader169
Summary: The emperor's little daughter, Pennta is raised by Darth Vader when the emperor is murdered by the rebel alliance. But now Vader has been caught along with young Pennta. What will happen?
1. Chapter 1

It had happened. The Emperor had died only he was not killed by Vader to save Luke; he was lured personally to Endor and ambushed.

He had a message sent to his personal guard requesting that lord Vader meet with him alone at the rebel bunker, and it worked. The emperor did as the message had instructed but instead of finding his friend lord Vader, he found nothing else at him but blasters and in a few seconds he ceased to exist thanks to the rebels.

Now that old Emperor was dead the empire was in chaos now since lord Vader had refused to take the throne, instead he decided to take on the task of becoming an adoptive father to the emperor's seven year old daughter, Pennta'.

Pennta' was normal for height, but to Vader she was tiny because she barely came up to the belt around his waist. Her raven hair was long and wavy which went all the way down to her back. She had known Vader all her life since he was her father's most trusted servant.

She would now remain under Vader's protection until she grew into a responsible young adult and whenever that happened she would have to take her place in the Empire as Empress which meant she was actually Vader's future mistress which still surprised her from time to time.

But Vader would only become her servant if he lived that long but it was not it was not a problem, the life support suit he wore had the average of another twenty seven years left in it so he would possibly be there to see her take her father's throne someday.

Vader decided it was time for her to get to know the world around her better. He arranged a transport for the both of them along with a couple of guards to go to the forest moon of Endor. But he was still cautious about the rebel bunker. The safety of his young charge and the safety for himself which still included Pennta', if he was ever captured or killed he feared no one else would take her in or look after her.

He would not have except he was overcome with pity for the child and bound by the loyalty he had for his master, he felt he just could not leave the child. He had now returned the favour to his master after he had rescued him from certain death on Mustafar after his duel with his former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi 23 years ago

"Where are we going again lord Vader?" Pennta' asked her giant guardian in curiosity and also unsure since it was some place new where vader had not taken her before. Vader looked down at the child and answered.

"Endor. We are going to a place called Endor, Pennta'." He said in his usual deep, echoed voice produced by the respirator, "Oh, and Pennta'?" He said as one more thing came into his head.

"Yes lord Vader?" She said quietly as she once again raised her head up high enough to meet the black lenses of his mask. As soon as she met his gaze she waited for him to speak.

"Stop calling me lord Vader. It makes me feel completely evil, stiff and hard." He told her softly and also playfully. He had taken ages to learn to stop talking to her as if she was an adult. He looked down and saw a smile grow across her.

"Is that not what you are? Are you not evil, stiff, or hard? Cos if you're really not then you have really fooled me." She joked quickly but Vader replied just as fast.

"No, That's only what I want I want my men to think, if you didn't already know, I'm mostly the opposite from all that.

When they heard Vader's confession, the two guards turned around a stared at the dark lord but Vader realised if the two guards left the ship and word got out Vader's reputation as a big, fearless, cruel dark lord would be sunk. Quickly Vader waved his black gloved hand across the air and said.

"You did not hear any of that." He spoke loud and clear, knowing that these words would stay in their heads and it would wipe their memory and they soon responded.

"We did not hear any of that." They said in a tone of voice as if they had just been hypnotised and in a way they just clearly had been. Pennta' giggled at Vader's trick with the guards and all over a silly reputation as a feared man. She would have personally liked word going about the place that he was a nice person but obviously Vader thought otherwise.

She then turned to him about the subject they talked over earlier on what she should call him instead of the title Lord Vader.

"Well what do you want me to call you? Do you wish me to call you Darth Vader commander of the Imperial fleet, lord Vader, or just Vader?" She asked her friend with a sweet smile on her face but by the tone in Vader's voice she was almost certain that he was beginning to laugh also and that would be something about Vader she had never seen.

"Just call me Vader, if you don't' mind." He said, giving her a playful nudge in the side which made her giggle.

"Okay, _Vader_" She replied as she moved closer to him as they were nearing their destination, Endor.

It was quiet upon their arrival, the tall trees were blocking out the sun so the whole place looked dark except for the slight shots of sunlight which mainly reflected off Pennta's pure black hair, followed closely by Vader and then by the guards who had their blasters aimed in front of them, ready to protect their lord and princess.

They had walked around in a complete circle and where almost about to head back to Vader's shuttle until Pennta' spotted something and pointed.

"Lor...um... I mean, Vader. What's that right there? It looks like a war bunker." She pointed to a strangely shaped hut in the middle of a clearing in the middle of the forest, surrounded by a few trees.

Vader walked closer to her, put his hand firmly on her shoulder and gave her a gentle pat, as if in saying; well done. "Very good Pennta' that is exactly what it is. It's a rebel bunker." He said to her in a proud voice, pleased that she was able to spot it far quicker than he could.

She will make a fine ruler some day, he thought to himself as the both of them went even closer to look, followed by the guards who were soon stopped by Lord Vader.

"We shall be fine without you, guard the entrance. We do not know if this place is deserted or not, just watch our backs and especially hers." He orders the clones and also nods at penny signalling and telling her that it is safe to go in, only to find that the base is not deserted.

They went in to check the area of the base and it pretty much looked like as if it hadn't been used in years. Vader's protective guards stood outside the entrance to the bunker and kept watch but when a rebel cadet was watching them from the start, he finally saw their chance act.

He signalled another from behind the trees to snap a twig or a branch to lure one of them over while the one hiding behind the bunker would be able to kill the remaining one and it was so simple they couldn't believe that the imperial guards had fallen for it in the first place.

The rebel jumped from the behind the bunker, pulled a blaster from his belt and shot the guard directly through the back of the head.

He then signals the second rebel, asking if the other guard had been taken care of and was pleased to know that two of them were now dead, they could easily set an ambush for the young imperial princess and her seven ft bodyguard.

They reunited with each other and moved into the bunker after them and soon would have lost their trail if it hadn't been for Vader's mechanical breathing.

They walked down the long tunnel, past the old detention cells and straight into another passage chamber only this time they ran into the princess, who had somehow been separated from Vader.

She had frightened look on her face as she backed away from then strangers, not knowing what they wanted with her. She backed away into the wall and soon found out that she could not go anywhere else unless she ran or Vader found her again.

"Alright darling, we don't want to hurt you. We just need you to come with us." They smiled and one of them reached out his hand, hoping that the child would take it but instead she shouted.

"NO! VADER HELP." She knocked his hand away and ran as fast as she could down the hall constantly shouting "VADER, WHERE ARE YOU?" She ran through the old bunker screaming but that also worried the rebels.

"We've gotta shut her up, or she'll lure _him_ here." The rebels soon realised, and were soon trying to catch and silence her before it was too late but it was. As soon as they reached the corner, Vader jumped out from nowhere and faced the two rebel guards who had eventually caught Pennta', and had her by her arm.

"Vader, please help." She begged him as she stood facing him along with the two guards.

"It's alright Pennta', they won't harm you. I promise." Vader reached out his hand to try and comfort her but his hand was slapped away by one of the rebels, the same one who reached out for Pennta' earlier, before she ran.

"Oh on the contrary lord Vader. We will treat her like any other imperial scum." They pulled her away from him and continued to hold her. "Think carefully on this my lord. We wouldn't want anything to happen to her, now would we?"

Vader glared at them and refused to answer but as soon as one of the guards put a hand around pennta's throat. He immediately reacted. "No! Don't you dare harm her!"

"Well then do something for us and we will not lay a finger on her."

Vader felt trapped. Who knew what they would have him do just to keep her safe. "yes, anything."

"You will come with us and stand trial for your deeds and crimes against the old and new republic and the rebel alliance and what it stands for. Do we have a deal?" The rebel asked, smirking and also afraid that he was testing lord Vader but that soon eased off when he realised that Vader was doomed, he would do anything to keep the girl safe.

"I am not going anywhere, and neither is she. You can forget it." Vader snapped in his face as he once again reached out to get the girl but the rebel wasn't finished with her or Vader.

"Fine. Have it your way, lord Vader. But that is our deal; you come with us or lose your little one." He warned sternly.

"I stand by my first answer, Rebel!" Vader shot back at the man standing in front of him.

"Very well, you're free to go. Come on honey, let's go." They started to pull her away when she shouted.

"Vader help me, please. Don't let them take me. I don't belong with them, I belong with you. Please." She pleaded as they dragged her away while Vader just stood there saying and doing nothing until he snapped out of his thoughts and shouted.

"No, wait please. I-I will do it." Vader said in a guilty voice knowing that the rebels had won and that he had nearly let Pennta', the one who meant more than anything in the whole galaxy go.

"You'll do what, exactly?" He asked as he stopped just outside the bunker with the girl still in his grip. "What do you want us for?" He asked even though he knew exactly what the Sith lord was going to say.

"I will stand your justice; just don't harm the girl, please." Vader said with a sigh and a sad face underneath the armoured black mask that he wore.

"Well, now we are getting somewhere, aren't we." The man taunted as he walked closer to the dark lord. "Show me your hands, now." He ordered as Vader reached out his two black gloved hands as the rebel commended. He could hardly believe that he was taking orders from a rebel, of all people.

Even the rebel could feel the relief that he was not dead by now. He stopped in front of Vader, pulled out a pair of shackles that he had packed in his belt and chained Vader's wrists together. He was now their prisoner and it was all to insure that no harm ever came to young Pennta.'

"Vader, I can't believe you just did that for me." Pennta' said with such fascination to what her friend had just done and just because he wanted to keep her safe.

"Neither can I Pennta'." Vader replied to her while looking at his now shackled hands but was soon beat on the back by the rebel who ordered "Move now!" He beat him across the back with the small blaster he had until the dark lord finally found enough strength to move on and out of the bunker.

Vader was marched in between the two and Pennta' was forced to keep up beside the rebel who was also in between them and next to a now captive Vader.

They were loaded into the now stolen Imperial shuttle, which Vader and Pennta' arrived in. As soon as Pennta' was found a place to sit and obviously it would be away from Vader and his chains were made tighter, which pained Vader, having metal chain shackles pressed down against his robotic limbs nearly crushing them in the process.

They were headed for cloud city, where all the others were assembled and where Vader's trial would be held. Pennta' looked to both her sides, making sure no one was there to stop her.

When it was clear she snuck over to Vader's side, who looked very weak for some reason, he was sitting in the very corner of the room they had been put into, his head hung low and limp and his hands chained.

By the time they reached their destination, Cloud City Pennta' had long fallen in a dreamless sleep and Vader was still awake and in durasteel steel chains. They requested permission to land from Lando Calrissian, head of cloud city.

Permission was granted and they were instructed to land at the east end of the entrance to the city. They landed in the same place as caption Han Solo's ship, the Millennium Falcon and let down the ramp. Once they had landed they went into the passenger's quarters to get Pennta'.

"Come on honey, let's go." They said as they grabbed her arm and squeezed it gently then went into the cargo hold or the 'prisoner's ward' to get Vader, who had fallen asleep over the past couple of hours.

"Wake up you." The taller rebel shouted as he shoved Vader violently to wake him up. Vader rose slowly struggling to sit up straight because his hands were bound.

Once he finally managed to sit up straight with the help of one of the guards, who grabbed him by his arm and roughly pulled him the rest of the way. Once he was up and on his feet he was once again marched alongside Pennta' and out of the shuttle.

"Where are they taking us, Vader?" Pennta' asked as she strode alongside the captive Vader as they were led into the entrance and into the great hall to where the alliance council was now assembled.

"I am going into court, Pannta'." Vader answered quickly and that brought up questions for her. Why? What did he do? Was it bad? Was he going to be punished for whatever he done or was it just a simple issue that needed to be brought up in court? She didn't know.

"Oh, well what will they do with me then if you are guilty of something or get locked up?." She managed to ask in response to Vader's statement.

"You will probably be put into care, given a home or put into someone's custody until you come of age, if that is the case, then so be it. There is nothing I can do now" He replied sternly but sadly.

"No. No I want to stay with you Vader, I want to stay. I don't want you to go." She pleaded as small tears started to fill her eyes.

"That is not for you to decide, nor I. The decision lies with the rebel alliance council and them alone.

Who is a rebel alliance, Vader?" She asked about the unfamiliar word.

"Men and Women who are known as_ rebels_ are the ones who have been fighting against us, and they are also the ones who resisted or apposed your father's rule and his empire." Vader showed no hesitation in expressing his opinions with the child, who looked confused but just went with it anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

The very moment they arrived in the Great Hall there were whispers amongst the council members as they saw Lord Vader a captive with their own eyes. Pennta' was taken to the side and placed in the charge of one of the members of the council whilst the others were about to question Vader.

He was brought before them and shoved onto his knees as they looked at him, showing him no mercy whatsoever. Alliance leader, General Rieken was the first to stand and address Vader who still looked weak and drained, from being hit and a lack of energy.

"Lord Vader is there anything you wish to say before we begin." The general asked before the proceedings began.

"There is... not." Vader replied with a deep weakened sigh.

"Very well, now Lord Vader. Do you have any idea at all why you are here today?" The General asked as the proceedings opened. There was no answer from Vader, just his mechanical breathing.

"Lord Vader. I repeat... do you know why you have been brought here today?" There was still no answer and the general would be dead before he would repeat the same question again.

"Lord Vader, I know you hear me and I also know that you understand what is being said to you. You are only digging the hole deeper for yourself, now please answer the question." The General was prepared to give him one last chance to communicate with him and the rest of the council he was now before.

It was the same result and there was still no response from him or anyone, and the general was becoming an impatient man now.

He signalled one of the rebel guards to go over and give Vader a little 'confidence' to speaks before the alliance council. The guard walked over slowly to the spot where Vader was kneeling and used their method of persuasion to a war criminal and murderer who was on trial, possibly for his life and still refused to speak or plead his case.

He went close to him and kneeled down beside the weakened Sith Lord and violently punched him.

"You _will_ speak or things might just get worse, now talk!" The rebel spat at him and was about to continue until young Pennta' spoke out to defend him

"He will not speak to you, torture him, kill him, he still will not talk. You are wasting your time. He is stronger than you think." She announced to the whole council, half of it was a defence and the other half was a warning. She was only seven and she was trying to do her very best.

The court looked at her in astonishment and fascination. That was some pretty big talk for someone at the age of seven.

Mon Mothma, who was sitting in the row just below the General and the other higher ranks stood up and walked over to the child.

"Young Lady, you know this man?" She asked as she pointed to the prisoner on his knees also looking at her with amazement that she was trying to plead his case, clear his name and hopefully save his life.

"Yes I do know him; I've known him my _whole_ life." She said simply, not knowing that her answer has shocked them even more.

"You've known _him _your whole life?" Mon Mothma questioned, making sure she had got the facts right before asking anymore questions.

"Yep." She said with her head held high; completely know knowing what she could be letting herself in for.

Mon Mothma was now ready to take this one step further, there was something about this young girl and her along with the rest of the other council members and senators were sure of it.

"Do explain, young one." She instructed with her chin resting in the palm of her hands.

"Well my father was Emp..." She began until she was cut off by Vader's deep voice across the room, warning.

"Pennta'. No! If you tell them then you will end up like me, a captive and a prisoner for being who I am and you will..." Then suddenly Vader was also cut off from his words by the rebel guard who had been standing over Vader since the trial had begun.

He violently kicked him in the side not long after he had punched him which had cracked on of Vader's black lenses in the front of his mask.

"Who asked you for your advice? You just keep your trap shut and let us talk to the child." The rebel shouted furiously at Vader.

"I have as much right to talk to the child as any of you do."

"No you don't, now _shut up_!" He yelled as he started to get irritated with the prisoner.

"Pennta' listen to me; do not tell them who you are, please." Vader pleaded with the young girl, breathing heavily.

The rebel who stood over Vader, and gridded his teeth and clenched his fist at Vader's disobedience. "You don't know when to zip it, do you? This is your last chance, either be quiet and let us handle the trial or you will be executed immediately and the child shall be taken away from you."

Vader gulped at the fact that Pennta' could be taken away from him. He looked up at the rebel as he raised his fist at Vader once more, Vader ducked his head and waited for the blow to come but all he heard was Pennta' crying out "No. Don't hurt him; don't take him away from me. Please." She tried to keep in the tears but it was failing.

Mon Mothma cradled Pennta' in her arms and warned the spiteful guard...

"I warn you now. Do not threaten to execute or beat this man in front of this child. She is much too young to understand Vader's crimes and deeds that he has committed or done in his life. That is the end of it; we shall discuss this at a later time, but not now."

The general waited for a moment but seemed satisfied by senator Mon Mothma's words and ended the court meeting until a later time.

"I can see that we are getting absolutely nowhere at the moment, the child shall be shown to her quarters and Lord Vader shall be escorted to the detention block until further notice. You and you, take him away. This court has now ended" He signalled two guards to come over to take Vader away to his cell while Pennta' was escorted out the door.

She looked behind her and saw Vader being trailed to his feet with his hands still chained. She kept her eyes on him until the very last moment until he virtually went out of sight as he was led in the other direction to the prison cells down below.

She sat on her bed in the small room in complete silence; too much was on her mind. All those statements about Vader in the courtroom, what terrible things or crimes did he commit in his life?

Why she was not told about it? Why did her father never tell her? And most importantly, did her father order him to do it all? Because if he did I would explain so much of it.

She snapped out of her thoughts and soon remembered that Vader had willingly volunteered to raise and care for her until she became a young woman and then soon a young Empress.

If Vader did commit those crimes the people in court spoke of she was sure that Vader would have done it for a reason and that he had done nothing at all to hurt or offend her.

She was still sitting in silence when Mon Mothma came into her room; she stood up to greet the approaching senator and asked.

"Would you like to speak with me, miss?" She asked quietly as the senator sat down on the small, soft bed beside her.

"Yes. Yes I would like to talk to you, if you do not mind." She replied in a gentle, quiet voice as Pennta' sat down beside her.

"No, it's fine." She said smiling and it made Mon Mothma smile also.

"Now, What I would like to talk to you about is when you said you knew vader your whole life and then he stopped you from answering, why? Why did he stop you? Why would you have ended up a prisoner like he is now? Tell me." She tried to sound as gentle as she could but she and the council had to know this information.

She opened her mouth to speak but then stopped herself, remembering what Vader had said. She did not want to be a prisoner and have people beating and shouting at her.

"Come on sweetheart. I won't shout, if that's what you're afraid of and Vader will not be harmed either if that is the problem. I just want to know why you and Vader seemed so afraid to say the truth." She gently lifted Pennta's chin so that they could look into each other's eyes.

"I will tell you if you do a little something for me." She asked simply to the senator who was facing her.

"What do you require, if it shall make you happy?" She asked, wanting to know what the girl needed or required.

"I would like to see him, if that's okay?"

"Who? You would like to see wh...Oh Vader. You would like to see Vader." She said in a loud but not angry voice and all Pennta' did was nod her head, hoping it could be arranged.

"I will see if it can be done, now will you tell me." Sitting closer to the girl, she listened carefully to what Pennta' had to say.

"I have known Vader my whole life because he served my...my father, the imperial emperor Lord Sidious and I..." She was cut off by a confused Mon Mothma

"Your father was the emperor? But that's impossible the emperor was killed about a year and a half ago. Is Vader the ruler now?" She asked, hoping to gather as much information as possible from the girl.

"No, Vader is not emperor, after my father was killed Vader took the responsibility of raising me until I came of age one day and would be mature enough to inherit my mother, lady Shanti, empress of the galactic empire's title as the new empress. I suppose Vader was afraid of what would happen if you, the General or any of the other senators found out.

Mon Mothma sat there; her eyes widened at the information from this seven year old girl "I see, is that all you had to say earlier?" She asked, making sure there was nothing else the child had to talk about but that was all.

She stood up and began to walk out but then remembered.

"Are you coming?" She asked, turning around to reface Pennta'.

"Coming where? Where are we going" She asked as she stood up and slowly made her way out of the room.

Mon Mothma started to give a slight smile as she replied "Well you did want to see him, did you not?"

"Oh yeah, I did. Where is he?" She questioned as she nearly got over excited, knowing she was going to see her friend again. She only hoped no harm had come to him and that the rebel guard who had punched and kicked him had managed to leave him alone for a couple of hours at least, and then again he was just doing his job.

"Shall we go and see your friend, Pennta.'" She asked as she remembered the young one's name since Vader had shouted it out in the courtroom several hours ago.


	3. Chapter 3

She reached out and took Pennta's hand in hers as they strode up the bright hallway, then went down three flights of high staircases and finally turned right to face the direction of the detention cells and within ten minutes of walking around the different cells, peering through the glass on the door, they finally found him in the very last cell in the detention blocks to the left side of the corridor.

"Are you sure that's him, dear? There are an awful lot of cells here; he could be in anyone of these." She asked the child, not wanting to go into the wrong cell.

"Yes I'm sure, I see him in there, and he's lying down. He must be tired."

"Or possibly just full of so many sedatives or drugs." The senator mentioned, in pity also pointing out the obvious to what she could see but said it low deliberately so that the child would not hear, but she still questioned anyway, children being children she thought.

"Full of what or... _drugs_?" The girl looked up alarmed at Mon Mothma and asked.

"Nothing." She was quick to reply, not wanting to tell the child that the rebels had been doing more things to Vader behind the child's back and even Mon Mothma's.

They knew she would objected and refused any use of drugs on Vader straight away, keeping his medical conditions in mind, enemy or not. But no, they just did it to him anyway. Despite the danger it could cause him and his health.

Mon Mothma had instructed one of the two guards at Vader' cell door to unlock it and let her and the girl in because she had wanted to see him and Mon Mothma was staying with her during her visit.

"Are you sure my lady. He is dangerous; you could be putting yourself at risk if not the child." One of the guards warned before letting them enter.

"The child knows this man very well, he would never hurt her." The senator tried to convince and to her surprise, it worked. The guards let them in, Pennta' went over to where Vader was indeed sleeping and just as Mon Mothma was about to enter she was stopped by the guard, who gave her a gentle pull on her arm.

"You have our permission to see the prisoner, but just be quick. You never know when he might try to escape." The cautious guard on duty warned her, but she assured him.

"I can assure you, he is thinking no such thing. All the girl wishes to do is to check on him and see how he's doing, nothing harmful whatsoever."She assured him with a pleasant smile on her face and as soon as he returned to his post she went in to join Pennta' in the cold, dark cell where Vader was being held.

They walked over to where he was, he lay on his side, breathing heavily and full of sedatives that possibly those guards at the door had given him, under orders of possibly the general. Mon Mothma walked even closer to him and gave him a slight nudge.

"Vader? Come on, wake up; there is someone who wishes to see you. Can you hear me?" She asked as she stood away from him, unsure of the reaction she would get when he came around.

He rolled onto his back and looked up at the woman in front of him and then saw a young girl with long raven hair and then soon remembered who it was.

"Pennta'? Is that you?" He asked as he struggled to sit up but he found it a lot easier than the last time he was lying down since his hands were now free from the chains.

"Yes Vader, it's me. I've come to see you." She said in a sweet quiet voice.

"Thank you, you did not tell them about our secret did you?" Vader asked, quite curious. Then Mon Mothma answered on Pennta's behalf.

"It is no longer a secret lord Vader, I can promise you that." She sternly said, looking down at him but she noticed Vader had reacted in a different way than she had expected.

He jumped to his feet causing the senator to back away along with the girl and tried to explain the newly revealed truth about the girl.

"Senator, whatever you heard from her or me, it's not true. She is just a child, a child does not choose her father, and it is not her fault that her father was ruler of the empire. It is me who you should deal with, this has nothing to do with her, she is..." He continued but before he could say another word, Mon Mothma silenced him before he would say too much.

"Vader, look at me." She ordered in a calm voice and he obeyed, he turned and looked into her eyes. Then she continued.

"Lord Vader it is fine, she has told me everything that you are trying to say now. She told me who her father was, she told me what you did for her after her father died and she also told me that you love her, is that correct? Did she say the same things to you?"

Vader turned around and thought for a moment then faced the woman in front of him. "Yes, yes she did tell me."

"Well now that this has been cleared up, I think it is time that this young lady got some rest for tonight." She looked at Pennta' and then to Vader, who nodded in agreement.

He sat down almost ready to fall asleep again until Pennta' climbed up onto his lap and hugged him, saying.

"I want to stay with you Vader, I don't want to leave." He found that she was clinging tighter into him but Mon Mothma placed a hand gently o her shoulder and whispered.

"Come on, you can see him tomorrow." She said quietly into Pennta's ear as her grip on Vader's black tunic started to loosen ever so slightly.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow Vader?" She asked her friend before finally letting go.

"Of course, young one." He replied as she took Mon Mothma's hand and slowly walked towards the cell door but the senator turned and informed him.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot. Your official trial and possible sentencing will take place in the great hall once again at first light, be ready Vader. I will do all I can to ensure a fair trial for you. Is that okay? Is there anything else you require or need to know before the cell door is relocked again?" She asked as she and Pennta' made their way out.

"I feel like a fool to ask but would you be able to provide anything that would help me put my mind at ease." Vader replied with a deep, echoed yawn.

Mon Mothma nodded "Would a sedative do? Or would you like a painkiller maybe?"

He did not reply at once, he only said with a slight, weary nod, "both would do."

She smiled before looking at Pennta' "I want you to stay with Vader for a few minutes while I go to the infirmary."

The little one nodded and hugged onto Vader as he said "thank you."

She had never heard Vader using basic manners before and for her to be honest it in a way confused her. "I will be back."

They both nodded as she left. She showed Penna' her finger, _telling her I will be back in a moment._

The little one smiled before looking back to Vader, whose head hung low. She looked in concern as she carefully lifted up his head. Under his mask he smiled at her. He was proud of her for so many things and he wanted he to know that.

"Do not worry about me Pennta'." He reassured her as he watched a slight smile grow on her pale, young face.

"But I _love_ you Vader. I _care_ about you." She whispered as she hugged deeply into him.

He smiled at her and returned the hug. "And do not for one second think that I do not show the same feelings for you young one. Never ever deny that!"

His voice was deep and passionate in his words and it somehow made her feel safe.

They continued to wait with their arms until the senator finally returned with a small injection. Pennta thought it would have been a glass of water or something like that but obviously they were more advanced when it came to medicine.

Mon Mothma walked slowly towards the wary Sith lord and without saying a word she simply smiled to Pennta' and nodded to Vader, then injected the clear dosage.

They both watched as the medicine entered Vader's arm but Pennta' saw that Vader was looking away from the needle.

Once she was done with him, she almost jumped back in fright at the sound of the yawn Vader gave. Pennta giggled before helping her friend onto his back.

Mon Mothma looked at them but especially at her. She took care of Vader, just as he would do for her.

Once the man's breathing was stable and Pennta began to rub her eyes the older woman bent down to her and said "I think it is time you should get some sleep my young royal."

The little girl nodded before looked to her friend who nodded. "Be a good girl Pennta' and do as she tells you." He instructed just before making himself more comfortable.

Mon Mothma nodded her satisfaction as Pennta' soon waved goodbye to Vader. Vader gave her a playful wave back as she shouted. "Goodnight Vader."

"Goodnight to you too, Pennta', I shall see you tomorrow." He whispered even though it sounded as if he was shouting, but she knew that he was trying to whisper."

"Okay, bye-bye." She managed to shout, just as soon as the cell door began to close. Once it was closed,

"Was he under control when you went in there? Shall we sedate him again?" One of the guards, still standing guard outside his cell asked them as they passed.

"Yes, I can easily say that he 'behaved' himself, thank you for your concern." She joked and then winked at young Pennta'

The guard bowed his head as the senator and girl moved on down the corridor past all the other prisoner cells. They found the stairs they had come down and began to climb them again. Once they had made it up the third high staircase they turned and found themselves in the hallway were Pennta's room was. They walked down to her room and went in then Mon Mothma asked.

"There we go, happy now? We went and saw him and he is in good health and he's even better now that he's getting the same thing you need." She said smiling at the child.

"What. gets what?" Pennta' asked

"Sleep."

"Oh, yeah. I suppose your right; maybe Vader and I are a bit tired after today." She said with a long yawn, showing that she needed sleep as well.

Mon Mothma helped her into a small, white laced night gown and then helped her in to the small bed, and tucked her into the bed.

"Goodnight miss...?" She said but was unsure what to say since she had never heard the woman's first name

"Mon Mothma. But you can call me Miss Mothma if you like." She said as she gave her a slight smile.

"Okay, goodnight Miss Mothma." She whispered as she snuggled into the small white pillow

"Goodnight, young Majesty. I will come and fetch you along with Lord Vader in the morning." She started to walk towards the door but wanted to take on last look at her, she turned around and when she looked she saw he already fast asleep in the thick bedcovers.

Mon Mothma smiled and blew a kiss goodnight to the sleeping child then turned and walked out, leaving Pennta' in a warm dark room for the night.

_She was in a huge round court room, surrounded by court members, the alliance members, the general and Miss Mothma but the figure who caught her eye was a captive Vader, standing before them, hands and feet bound in double durasteel chains, guarded by two guards on either side of him._

"_Lord Vader, with careful thought and constant revision over your confession and crimes. I sentence you to death for your crimes against the republic and all the very alliance stands for. The child will be taken from you and placed into our custody._

"_Vader! I'm here, can you hear me!" She tried to shout but discovered that every sound she made. _

_Pennta' tried to reach out to Vader but her hand went through him he just stood there. Her hand was shaking. As she had touched him and her hand instantly began to shake and shiver it felt as if she knew exactly what was going to happen._

_Why can't he hear me? She kept thinking over and over again, and then she walked closer to him, beginning to cry she said. _

"_Why is this happening? Why can't you hear or feel me? It is not fair, please, speak to me." She tried to hug and touch him again but fall through him and onto her knees, she felt as if she was in his position; all that was needed was the durasteel chains. She tried to stop sobbing but could not control herself; she was kneeling in a puddle of water from her tears but lifted her head up when she heard a man's voice._

"_Is there anything you wish to say, lord Vader, before you are terminated?" The general asked as two guards moved to take hold of Vader's arms._

"_Yes, there is one more thing. I want Pennta' to be cared for, after I am gone." Vader said in a voice which almost sounded as if he was about to cry._

"_Very well." The General confirmed, then finished._

"_Farewell Lord Vader." He said as he ripped a piece of parchment in two, the parchment contained Vader's confession which was obviously no longer needed._

_Pennta' shut her eyes tightly, breathing tightly. She did not bother to speak, she knew if she even tried it would make no difference or effect, no one would hear her. She felt a tear fall down her cheek as she reopened her eyes only to see a blaster open fire._

"NO, STOP!" She jumped up in bed and was covered in sweat; Mon Mothma came into her room, put her hand on her forehead and worriedly asked.

"Are you alright dear? What is wrong?" She asked, worried about the shaking child before her.

"Is Vader alive? Is he okay? I saw him." She said in a panic

"Sweetheart, he's fine, he's alive. When did you see him? Did you see him anywhere? Did he escape?" She asked, unsure about what the girl was talking about.

"He was in a courtroom, chained and condemned to die. A blaster opened fire and he- he was d-dead. I saw the gun open fire and it all went black." She explained.

"My Dear, It was a nightmare. That's all it was. You have nothing to worry about, you and Vader are safe. You are in a nice warm room and he is in good health, I told you this earlier. You do not need to worry my darling." She was rubbing Pennta's shoulder trying to soothe her troubled mind.

"You should go back to sleep now, you and Vader both have a big day tomorrow and you don't want to be yawning all the way through the trial." She stood up again and started to smile.

"What's a trial, Miss Mothma" She asked curiously.

"A trial is a bit like sorting out problems, Vader is going to be on trial tomorrow for...well..." She did not know what to say apart from saying Vader would be on trial for war crimes and that would just make things worse since she did not want to say to the child that he was a war criminal, it would break her heart.

"He is going to be on trial for doing things that were wrong; he did _naughty_ things, just like children can. Do you understand any better now?" Trying to find the appropriate words that a child could understand.

"I think so... yeah I do." She replied, her eyes half closing again.

Her head slumped comfortably against the large pillows and within a few short minutes, she had fallen asleep again. Mon Mothma brushed Pennta's long black hair away from her face, stood up and walked out of the sleeping child's room.

As she walked down the hallway to her own room she had the strangest feeling that she becoming affectionate towards the young girl and she was also feeling pity for someone, Darth Vader, of all people.

It had been the first time since Vader came there he had slept the whole night without any sedatives or threats of sedatives. He still slept on his side up until he was shoved violently, commanding him to wake up. He had barely enough energy to open his eyes but he tried his best to do so.

When he finally got them open enough that there was an armoured guard with a blaster aimed at him, it came as no surprise to him. He was shoved again and again until he couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm awake, I'm awake." He shouted, urging the guards to stop but all they did was snap right back at him in their usal spiteful, hateful tone towards the captive imperial.

"**Then get up**!" A slightly taller guard ordered as he reached out and hoisted Vader to his feet.

"I thought you wanted me to make the effort myself? Instead of you grabbing and pulling at me." He said, slyly.

"Yeah, well you were too slow; now move before I make you do that too." He shoved a blaster into his back, Vader winced in pain clearly the guard just didn't care.

"Oh, get over it, now move before I break your back never mind just beat it."

They forced him to make his way towards the door but then the guard remembered "Hold on a minute, give me your hands." He grasped Vader's wrists tightly in his own then signalled a guard to hand him a pair of durasteel chains for his wrists.

"Not those again." Vader sighed as the chains were locked around his wrists and ankles.

"See I you don't stop complaining, I swear it." He warned as he and the other guard took Vader by his arms and trailed him out of the cell, up the corridor, up the stairs and then to the courtroom.

Pennta' had an early start too, she was awoken by Mon Mothma, go up had her breakfast with the senator. Once she had finished she went back to her room to get dressed but was told by Mon Mothma to hurry and get dressed quickly, they had to be in the courtroom in a few minutes the trial would begin shortly.


End file.
